Jenna A. Bell-Wilson is a nationally recognized nutrition writer/presenter and co-author of Energy to Burn: The Ultimate Food and Nutrition Guide to Fuel your Active Lifestyle (John Wiley & Sons 2009). She is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, registered dietitian and a nutrition advisor to international sports nutrition companies, and co-founder of Swim, Bike, Run, Eat!. She has provided nutrition seminars at major athletic events like the Boston Marathon, the ING New York City Marathon, Bank of American Chicago Marathon and the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI.

She is the Heart Beat columnist for Today’s Dietitian and her expertise has been featured in Us Weekly, Fitness magazine, Pilates Style, Men’s Health, Runner’s World, IDEA Fitness Journal, IDEA Health and Fitness Source, IDEA Personal Trainer and related publications and on the web. She has been published in scientific journals, and has had nationwide TV appearances on ABC, NBC and FOX affiliates, radio programs and podcasts. Dr. Bell-Wilson is also featured in ten Healthy Learning videos and is an annual presenter at IDEA Health and Fitness International Conferences.

Dr. Bell-Wilson has been a media spokesperson for the food industry and has aided in the development of nutrition communications programs for a variety of companies in the food industry. Her clients have included brands such as Kraft, Nestle, Unilever, the Cranberry Institute, Ocean Spray, USA Rice Federation, LactalisSorrento, Inc and others.

Short collection of highlights from the workDr. Jenna Bell has done for TV, print, radio, and online.

Eat Right Around Chicago

Dr. Bell is dedicated to eating her way around the the city of Chicago and still fit in her jeans. She refuses to miss out on the offerings of Chicago's established and up-and-coming Chefs, neighborhood gems, foodie-hot spots, late night diners and fine dining temptations.

Armed with her appetite and nutrition credentials, Jenna's mission is to eat RIGHT around Chicago.

"I have made it my mission to eat my way around the city, but I'm going to EAT RIGHT around each and every neighborhood. I refuse to starve my taste buds, deconstruct a chef's creation to save waist and I won't miss a local hot spot. Simultaneously, I will maintain my weight, make nutritious choices and keep my nutrient dense diet."

"My aim is to give easy to digest diet tips, nutrition insights and ideas to dine right at any eating establishment. I don't believe in compromising taste to eat right; good food and a healthy body are not mutually exclusive. I rate restaurants based on their "yummy-ness" as well as their healthiness."

Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD is the Manager of Nutrition Communications for Dairy Council of Michigan/United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) where she provides health professionals, the media and consumers with current information on nutrition and health. She serves as a media spokesperson on a variety of issues including child nutrition, dental health, lactose intolerance, and osteoporosis prevention. In addition, Karen is a freelance writer at the Wellness Writer® and Contributing Editor at Healthy & Fit Magazine.

Karen is active in the state and local district dietetic associations, serving as the annual conference co-chair for the Michigan Dietetic Association and as President of the Lansing Dietetic Association. She received the 2004 Michigan Registered Dietitian of the Year Award and the 2008 Public Relations Individual Award from the Michigan Dietetic Association.

Karen specializes in nutrition, health, wellness and nature writing for consumer and trade magazines and offers the following Freelance Writing Services:For magazines:Features and columns

For businesses:Annual reportsManuals and brochuresNewslettersPress releasesTV and radio interview scripts, PSAs and tagsWeb site content

Monday, June 21, 2010

Question:Is Aspartame sweetener harmful to our health? I was reading online that the acid included can burn a hole in the brain. Is this true? FW

The safety of aspartame has been the subject of several political, industrial and medical controversies.

Science.Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used as a sugar substitute in many foods and beverages. The body breaks down aspartame into two common amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, and a third substance, methanol. These three substances are available in foods we commonly eat. Because its breakdown products include phenylalanine, aspartame must be avoided by people with the genetic condition phenylketonuria (PKU).

Politics, Government and Industry. In 1980, the FDA convened a Public Board of Inquiry charged with examining the relationship between aspartame and brain cancer. The board concluded aspartame does not cause brain damage, but it recommended against approving aspartame at that time, citing unanswered questions about cancer in laboratory rats.

FDA task force investigated allegations of errors in the research conducted by the manufacturer (G.D. Searle & Company) and found only minor discrepancies that did not affect the study outcomes.

In 1981, G.D. Searle & Company then led by CEO Donald Rumsfeld, re-applied to the FDA for approval to use aspartame in food sweetener. The new FDA commissioner, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., appointed a 5-person Scientific Commission to review the board’s decision. The panel upheld the ban by a 3-2 decision. Hayes then added a sixth member to the commission, and the vote was tied. Hayes personally broke the tie in favor of aspartame. Hayes later left the FDA under allegations of impropriety. He later took a position with Burston-Marsteller, the chief public relations firm for G.D. Searle and Company. Since that time he has never spoken publicly about aspartame.

In 1983, the FDA further approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages, and for use in other beverages, baked goods, and confections in 1993. In 1996, the FDA removed all restrictions from aspartame allowing it to be used in all foods.

Critics claim FDA’s approval of aspartame was impaired by conflicts of interest and questionable research. The validity of these claims were examined and dismissed. In 1987, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the food additive approval process had been followed properly for aspartame.

Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries worldwide, with FDA officials describing aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut" (2). The weight of existing scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption as a non-nutritive sweetener.

Aspartame (1) as listed in the Food Additive Status ListNUTRS (Nutritive Sweetener).REG (Food additives for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued).GMP (In accordance with good manufacturing practices; or sufficient for purpose; or quantity not greater than required).

Bonnie Taub-Dix is a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and Director and Owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants with offices on Long Island and in New York City. She is a specialist in behavior and lifestyle modification, nutritional psychotherapy, obesity and weight management.

Ms. Taub-Dix is a regular guest on national television and radio programs and in the press, providing practical advice on healthy living to publications such as The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and WebMD and shows including CNN, CBS Early Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, FOX 5 News, and The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet.

She’s worked with The Discovery Channel and Lifetime TV as an on-air consultant for several nationally broadcast shows As a consultant to Cartoon Network, she collaborated on designing a program for the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regarding food labeling for children. As a liaison between industry and the public, she holds a position on the Editorial Advisory Boards of Family Circle Magazine and Environmental Nutrition Newsletter. In 2003, she was named “Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur of the Year” by the American Dietetic Association, and the following year she received the New York State Dietetic Association’s Media Excellence Award.

Monday, June 14, 2010

•Approximately 30,000 men in the US die each year from prostate cancer - from Men’s Health Policy

Men's Health: A Global PerspectivePart One. Dr. Larry Goldenberg speaks at the 2nd Public Forumon Men's Health on May 19, 2010 in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Men's Health Week.com is maintained by Men's Health Network. Men's Health Network (MHN), is a non-profit educational organization focused on improving the health and wellbeing of men, boys and their families through a broad spectrum of national screening, educational campaigns, advocacy opportunities and patient navigation.

MHN can be found in every state and over 25 foreign countries. The advisory board consists of over 800 physicians, researchers, public health workers and community leaders specializing in men's and family health.

Men's Health Week

The purpose of Men's Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.

This week gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.

The Goals of Men’s Health Network

*Save men's lives by reducing premature mortality of men and boys.

*Foster health care education and services that encourage men of all ages to implement positive lifestyles for themselves and their families.

*Increase the physical and mental health of men so that they can live fuller and happier lives.

*Energize government involvement in men's health activities so that existing government health networks can be utilized to increase the health and well-being of men and boys.

The information in this fact sheet is based on research findings from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF is the leading independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care. The Task Force, which is supported by AHRQ, conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications. Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services.

World Refugee Day (usually celebrated on June 20th. Every year, people across the United States use World Refugee Day as a focus for raising awareness and funds in their own communities to gather support for UNHCR.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Pamela Ofstein is the Director of Nutrition Services at eDiets.com since 2003. eDiets.com is one of the leading providers of online diet and fitness services.

As head of the Nutrition Division, Pam represents eDiets in the following areas:1. Develops, Designs and Implements the company’s nutritional components, including all product offerings, food plans and meal development.

2. Involved with the review of nutritional branding and marketing initiatives. 3. As the Nutrition Expert and Company Spokesperson she is responsible for all nutrition media, public relations, web videos and podcasts. Pam has appeared on NewBaby.com, ITunes, iGot2Know.com, ExerciseTV, myalli.com, film productions (television commercials and recipe videos) and radio talk shows. She has contributed articles to Cooking Light, Best Life, Redbook, Maxim, Boston Herald, Washington Post, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel and local magazines.

Decoding Food Labels

Pam takes you to the Supermarket

Since there is always room to work with the public and community sector, Pam owns and operates a private consulting practice Pamela B. Ofstein &amp; Associates for over the past ten years promoting health and educating individuals on renal disease, diabetes, child obesity, weight-management and general nutrition health. Serving the public allows Pam to continue to lend her expertise as a national spokeswoman for a vast array of media venues.

“I think we can all agree that things in life need to be less complex. Understanding nutrition and ways we can improve our health should be just that – simple and easy. With so much information available it is easy to get caught up in nutrition overload. My goal is to reach out and provide the essential health and nutrition points that can be useful and make you think, ‘Aha, I understand this’."

Look and Feel Great Through Nutrition

Pam discusses her new book - a 60 minute guide to Nutrition, Health and Dieting.

Pam is a member of the American Dietetic Association and serves on the board of the Florida Council on Renal Nutrition/National Kidney Foundation. She received her Certification in Adult Weight Management from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Pam is the co-founder of the Annual Renal Professionals Forum Seminar. Some of her accomplishments include being named “The Young Recognized Dietitian” and the recipient of the “National Kidney Foundation Dietitian Exemplary Practice Award.”

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Corinne is active in her state dietetic association. She specializes in motivational interviewing, intuitive eating practices, counseling, group teaching, nutrition writing, event planning, brand/social media development, management and leadership. Her goal is to seek a position encompasses group and/or individual counseling as well as seminars and professional speaking. Corinne is talented in interpreting nutrition science for the general public and managing companies' brand and social media development.

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About Me

I am a Registered Dietitian and nutritionist. I received my doctorate degree in nutrition education and statistics. I have worked as a food journalist and nutrition media consultant since 1989.

In 1989 my son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. He is a quadriplegia confined to a motorized wheelchair. He requires total assistance with all activities of daily living. He is able to communicate verbally and speaks with clarity, insight and humor.